


Against a dark sky all flowers look like fireworks

by lucineblue



Category: Persona 3
Genre: F/M, Introspection, Junpei is trying his best, One Shot, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, Pining, Post Game, Shadow Junpei, massive insecurities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-03
Updated: 2017-05-03
Packaged: 2018-10-27 05:02:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10802292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucineblue/pseuds/lucineblue
Summary: To him, the fireworks can't compare to the flower sitting on the bench beside him. But the fear of being burned again and losing what Junpei's managed to hold onto after all they've been through keeps him frozen in place, and frozen in time.





	Against a dark sky all flowers look like fireworks

 

It was the fireworks show for the summer festival.

She was wearing that cute yukata he remembered from before, the one that matched her hair colour, made her eyes pop and seem brighter than usual. He smiled, and laughed with her, managing to win her a few prizes-- small things, nothing big. They were sitting and sharing takoyaki when the fireworks started, sitting so close on the bench, watching the night sky glow with bright, beautiful colours.  
  
And again, he felt that desire well up in him as he glanced at her, seeing that happy, peaceful smile on her face, framed by the light of the fireworks.

Junpei’s fingers twitched, the urge to take her hand in his own nearly overpowering, fingertips almost brushing along her skin. And then, nothing, his heartbeat racing in his chest as fear overtook him, causing him to freeze in place.  
  
What could he possibly be afraid of? He’d faced Death itself on more than one occasion, faced the end of the world head on, and lived to tell the tale (though he never would, because Mitsuru-senpai would probably murder him for it), and yet here he was, frozen with fear over what to do about these... _feelings_ for Fuuka, one of his best friends…

That still was… with him.

 

Alive.

 

And hilariously, those ‘facing death and the end of the world head on’ had everything to do with why now his throat seemed to close, hesitating to answer Fuuka’s question about if anything was wrong, unable to form the words he so desperately wanted--

He’d been young and stupid and wanting to save the world, wanting to be a hero, wanting to _matter to someone_ , and yet in the end all he could do was take a bullet and just bleed out, dying. Someone else died for him, someone who loved him dearly enough to give up her own life, no matter how fleeting it would’ve been in the end.  
  
_God, Chidorita..._

And then again, another friend died, whoever he really was vanishing in smoke as the Avatar of Death took his place, promising silence and stillness to soothe humanity’s wish for death.

_Ryoji, you deserved better..._

And who was he kidding? He didn’t really face the end of the world; his best friend had; faced it all on her own, somehow lingered for months as a shell of herself as the rest of her friends forgot her and all they had done together, and when they finally did remember… 

He could still remember how badly his eyes had burned from the tears. How Fuuka couldn’t stop crying for days.

Biting his lip, Junpei looked down, his hand withdrawing back without her notice, he hoped. 

He’d lost so many friends along the way, and maybe to everyone else he could be brave with his words, but to himself? Nah. No way he was that strong.

No way he could risk what he and Fuuka had already for something he didn’t even know how to put into words. Something that made his stomach twist on itself, made some part of him scream that _how dare he fall for someone else after everything Chidori did and sacrificed for you, you goddamn asshole, ungrateful bastard--_

And yet some other part of him craved it, wanted it so bad his entire body and heart ached, and he was so tangled inside, he didn’t know how to start to deal with it.

Funny, the one person he usually turned to, to help him figure out his own head, he couldn’t even look at right now. Not when it had to do with her like this.

So again, he pushed it down, laughed a little sheepishly, apologized for zoning out on her, that the fireworks were just really… distracting. Tried to forget whatever was causing this confusion.

What they had right now was _fine_ . He and Fuuka were _fine_ . It was more than he could ever want, and he was selfish and crazy to want _(need)_ anything more.

And deep inside, eyes glowing yellow scoffed, and turned away from him, his words icy compared to the summer heat yet as piercing as the booming thunder of the fireworks.

  
_Keep running, Iori. It’s all you’re good for, right?_


End file.
